Interlocking Roofing Panels

ABSTRACT

An interlocking roof panel has an upper section and a lower section dividing the panel, the lower section having a lower edge. The panel also has a receiver channel between the upper section and the lower section, the receiver channel having a groove undercutting the lower section. A claw protrudes from the lower section and extends beyond the lower edge of the panel, the claw is engaged with the receiver channel of another roof panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Canadian Patent Application No. 3,033,606, filed Feb. 12, 2019, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to roofing panels and in particular, interlocking roofing panels.

BACKGROUND

Many roofs have been covered with shakes or shingles. These roofs have individual shakes or shingles laid in courses on the roof, with upper courses overlapping lower courses. In this way, rain or other weather incident on the roof runs off the roof, protecting the structure.

Handling individual shakes or shingles and installing them on a roof is a time consuming task. Each shake or shingle has to be cut or split to size, free of any defects, and then installed on the roof. To install on the roof, each shake or shingle has to be individually attached to the roof in a way that does not create a path for water to penetrate the roof.

In addition, individual shakes or shingles are susceptible to being dislodged or lifted from the roof by wind.

It is therefore desirable for a roofing product that requires less installation work than individual shingles or shakes and is better able to withstand weather.

SUMMARY

An interlocking roof panel has an upper section and a lower section dividing the panel, the lower section having a lower edge. The panel also has a receiver channel between the upper section and the lower section, the receiver channel having a groove undercutting the lower section. A claw protrudes from the lower section and extends beyond the lower edge of the panel, the claw is engaged with the receiver channel of another roof panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the disclosure,

FIG. 1 is a top view of an interlocking panel.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of two interlocking panels during installation.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of two interlocking panels after installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a roofing panel 1 has two sections. The upper section 5 is generally a contiguous rectangle that is intended to be covered by other panels in an upper course, or a cap section.

A lower section 10 is intended to be uncovered and exposed to the elements. The lower section 10 may be textured or patterned so as to have a visible appearance of shakes, slates, tiles or shingles. This texture or patterns may include simulated wood, slate, stone or other material engraved or embossed into the panel. The texture or pattern may include one or more recessed keyways 15 or channels to separate simulated shakes or shingles. The recessed keyways 15 may be recessed from the primary surface plane of the lower section 10 to form a channel in the panel 1. The keyways may be closed so that the panel is continuous between the simulated shakes or shingles. In this way debris or water cannot penetrate the panel between the simulated shakes or shingles.

The panel may also include a receiver channel 20 that separates the upper section 5 and the lower section 10. The receiver channel may intersect the recessed keyways 15. Any water or condensation that collects in the receiver channel may drain from the receiver channel into the recessed keyways 15. The receiver channel 20 may include a groove 30 that extends under a portion of the lower section 10. With reference to FIG. 1, the receiver channel may be continuous across the panel.

Alternatively, the receiver channel may comprise one or more segments of receiver channel. In this alternative, the claw may also comprise segments, which may correspond to the segments of the receiver channel so that the claw can engage with the receiver channel of panels in adjacent courses.

The panels may engage in an offset manner so that the panels of one course are offset from the panels of a course above or below the given course, such as by half a panel, a third of a panel or by any offset amount. In this way, the panels provide additional overlap with the other panels.

The panel may have a claw or protrusion 25 that may extend or protrude beyond the lower edge 60 of the panel. The claw, described in more detail below, engages with and cooperates the groove 30 in the receiver channel 20 of a panel in a lower course to lock the claw into the receiver channel 20. The claw 25 may be continuous across the lower edge of panel or may be in one or more segments. The segments may be separated by drainage channels or other gaps cut into or through some or all of the claw 25.

The panel may include one or more spacer pin 40 that protrudes on one or both sides of the panel. The spacer pin may assist with installing of the panels to ensure that panels are placed the appropriate distance apart. In particular, during installation, the spacer pin 40 may abut the adjacent panel on the same course. Since the spacer pin may extend beyond the main edge of the side of the panel, a small gap be present between adjacent panels. The small gap may allow for thermal expansion of the panels and to improve the appearance of the panels providing a gap between the simulated shakes or shingles of the lower section 10.

The panels 1 may also include a weather strip 35 that extends beyond the main edge of the side of the panel. The weather strip 35 may extend from the side of the panel opposite the spacer spin 40. Although which side the weather strip and spacer pin 40 extend is arbitrary, it should be consistent between all the panels of a course so that the panels cooperatively engage with the adjacent panels.

The weather strip may be thinner than the main part of the panel but is preferably made from the same material and continuous with the main part of the panel. The weather strip extends under an adjacent panel to provide additional protection to the roof in the gap between the panels.

With reference to FIG. 2, during installation, a panel of a lower course, 1 b, may already be attached to the roof. The panel may be attached using one or more nails or other fasteners (not shown) through the upper section 5 of the panel into roof supporting material such as sheathing. The receiver channel 20 may have sloped walls that slope towards the lower edge of the panel.

After a lower course is affixed to the roof, a panel of an upper course 1 a, may be locked to the panel of the lower course 1 b by inserting the claw 25 into the receiver channel 20 and into the groove 30. The claw may extend beyond the front edge 60 of the panel 1 a but have a small groove to receive the lip 55 that forms the groove 30. In an embodiment, the claw 25 may extend 3 or 4 mm into the groove 30, although it may extend more or less deep depending on the size of the panel. The claw locks the panel of the upper course into the panel of the lower course. This reduces the chance that a panel will be lifted by wind or other elements once installed. Because the claw is at or near the front edge of the panel, there is little or no portion of the panel that can be lifted once it is engaged with the panel of a lower course. The claw may have a point that cooperates with the grove 30. The claw may have a sloped or curved rear edge to provide rigidity and strength to the claw so that it does not break or bend relative to the panel. The claw must cooperate with the receiver channel so that it can lock into the channel.

With reference to FIG. 3, once the panel of the upper course 1 a is in place and locked with the panel of the lower course 1 b, the claw 20 is fully engaged with the receiver channel 20 and the groove 30. In this arrangement, the front edge 60 of the panel 1 a fully overlaps the receiver channel 20 of the lower panel 1 b. In this way, rain or other weather elements would primarily flow over the outer surface of the panels and not penetrate the receiver channel 20.

Also, during installation, the worker can easily see if the claw 25 has engaged with the receiver channel 20 because the claw protrudes beyond the front edge of the panel and would be immediately visible if it was not engaged with receiver channel.

Once the claw has been engaged with the receiver channel of a panel of a lower course, the panel may be similarly affixed to the roof using one or more nails, or other fasteners (not shown) through the upper section 5 of the panel. An adjacent panel may then similarly be engaged with a panel of the lower course, spaced apart using the spacer pin. The panels of a course are preferably offset from the panels of the lower course. In this way, adjacent panels are locked together, including by the panels of courses above and below. At the edges of the roof where a course of panels meets the edge of the roof, shorter panels may be used, formed by cutting a panel a shorter length, or panels may be made having a shorter length. In this way, the panels may be installed on a roof that provide a protective layer to the roof, provide a patterned surface and the panels are engaged between courses.

Once engaged, only the lower portion 10 of the panels are visible and exposed directly to the elements.

During installation, caps may be used to cover the highest course at the ridge line or where a roof abuts a wall. Such caps may also include claws 25 for engaging with the receiver channel 20 of the panels and may have other aspects of the panel such as a receiver channel 20. Similarly, there may be starter panels that only consist of an upper section and receiver channel that are installed at the lowest part of the roof so that the first course of panels can engage with the receiver channel of the starter panels.

The panels may be made from a suitable material that provides sufficient strength and robustness to withstand the elements, including sunlight, to which the roof may be exposed, such as metal, rubber or plastic or a combination. In an embodiment, the panels may be made, at least in part, from rubber, such as recycled tire rubber. The panels may be formed or molded in a form so that panels are all identical or nearly identical. Different forms may be used to provide different simulated patterns on the surface of the lower section of each panel. For example, the pattern may simulate shake, slate, tile or shingle patterns on the lower portion 10.

In an embodiment, each panel is approximately 1 metre wide and half a metre deep. The size of panels may be larger or smaller depending on the material used to make the panel, the weight of the panels and the simulated pattern, such as the shake, slate, tile and shingle patterns used on the panels.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the disclosure. The disclosure includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. An interlocking roof panel comprising: a. an upper section and a lower section dividing the panel, the lower section having a lower edge, b. a receiver channel between the upper section and the lower section, the receiver channel having a groove undercut the lower section; c. a claw protruding from the lower section and extending beyond the lower edge of the panel, the claw engages with the receiver channel of another roof panel.
 2. The interlocking roof panel of claim 1 wherein the claw is recessed from the lower edge of the panel;
 3. The interlocking roof panel of claim 1 wherein the receiver channel further comprises a groove extending into the lower section that receives the claw.
 4. The interlocking roof panel of claim 1 wherein the lower section further comprises one or more recessed keyways substantially perpendicular to the receiver channel extending from the receiver channel to the lower edge.
 5. The interlocking roof panel of claim 1 further comprising one or more spacer pins extending laterally from a first side of the upper section.
 6. The interlocking roof panel of claim 1 further comprising a weather strip extending laterally from a second side of the upper section to pass under an adjacent roof panel.
 7. The interlocking roof panel of claim 1, wherein the roof panel is made from at least rubber.
 8. The interlocking roof panel of claim 7 wherein the rubber is recycled tire rubber. 